Dark Farewell
by Theatreotaku
Summary: Marik's duties as a tomb keeper are about to come to an end, and he as time for one final goodbye to his old partner before the final shadow game.


The sun beat down hot though the valley as Marik leaned against the Jeep door, watching Yugi and his friends make their way down the stairs leading to the tomb containing the stone of memory. He breathed a sigh of relief for his duties as tomb keeper were almost complete.

He looked through the window where Odion still sat. Marik sighed when he looked at the writing on his brother's face. Nothing was going to make the scars they had received during their time serving the pharaoh. Opening the car's front door Marik was assaulted by a blast of cold air. The sudden change made him shiver. Ishizu laughed as she closed the car door getting into the back seat.

"What's so funny?" Marik asked turning around to face her. Ishizu shook her head as she continued to laugh.

"I just realized that for as long as I had the necklace, I never looked at anything past today." Marik stared at her his mouth hanging open in shock.

"The necklace was wasted on you," Marik said, voice full of derision. Odion laughed as Ishizu's normally calm demeanor gave way to the haughty air she put only when she was truly pissed off.

"Unlike you, I didn't want to abuse the power I was entrusted to protect," Ishizu said taking a tone of superiority. Marik smirked at her.

"We're not talking about what I did. We're talking about basic human curiosity." Marik teleported to sit next to her before continuing. "You never looked at anything other than your duties as tomb keeper?" Marik

"That's a waste of magic" Ishizu said glaring at Marik.

"You're deflecting did you not say that not talking about things was the cause most of our family's problems." Oh it felt so good to turn one of her lectures against her.

She ignored Marik's statement. "We should get going," Odion giving him a pleading look, begging him to help her drop the subject.

Odion shook his head, grinning. "He's right."

Ishizu ran her hand though her hair as she looked out the window and muttered something under her breath. "What was that?" Marik asked he could not keep the mocking out of his voice knowing he won.

"Oscar prediction," Ishizu muttered, tapping her finger on the door's console.

"Why would you go to someone named Oscar for predictions when you had the necklace?" Odion asked looking at his sister with a confused look on his face. Marik burst out laughing.

"No no no," she said somehow able to keep her own urge to laugh under control as she continued, "The Oscars is the name for the American movie award show."

"Well how was I supposed to know about that?" Odion said embarrassed by his own ignorance.

"We watched them together once!" Marik said in disbelief.

"That was the Academy Awards." Odion corrected.

"They're the same thing...they're just called the Oscars because that is the name of the statues they get for winning." Ishizu explained wanting to get the conversation back on track so that they could drop it altogether. "The museum was having a contest of who could guess the winners. There was this one annoying woman I worked with." Ishizu looked down at the car floor clenching her fist as she continued, "Everyone hated her by the end of it. She kept on bragging about how she was going to win so I had to make sure she lost."

Marik shook his head smiling to himself saying, "So the perfect Ishizu is not above such petty things."

"Shut up" Ishizu said.

"You know that he's never going to let us live this down."

"I know." An evil smile crossed her face 'I'll just have to find some dirt on him."

Marik rolled his eyes "Good luck with that, you two already know all my secrets." That was when Marik saw a black and white figure standing on the cliff ledge. That was the one secret that he did keep from his siblings.

Marik made a quick gesture with his hand casting a time freezing spell. He then teleported himself to the top of the cliff next to Bakura. He stood there for a moment trying to sort through everything that was racing though his mind. He had thought that Bakura died during their duel with Marik's dark half, and blamed himself for Bakura's death ever since. Yet here he was alive, and Marik could not decide if he should punch or kiss him at this revelation. Where in the world had the bastard been this entire time?

Marik placed a hand on Bakura's shoulder releasing him from the spell. He crossed his arms as he glared at Bakura, "Nice to know you're alive, asshole."

Bakura breathed a long sigh, not taking his eyes off the entrance to the tomb he had been staring at. "Go away, Marik. I'm busy."

"I froze time, so we have plenty of time to talk about why you'd let me think you were dead."

Bakura turned to glare at Marik, "Since when did sleeping together entitle you to anything?"

"I was more to you than that." Marik sneered crossing his arms.

Bakura snorted "That's what you think," he said as he turned and walked away. The comment stung, but he did not let anything show past his pissed off facade. Marik followed Bakura. He was not going to let him get away without a fight. Not again.

"Then why would you risk your life in a shadow game for me?" Marik called as he chased after Bakura.

"I'm not having this conversation," Bakura growled as he picked up his pace walking around the cliff's edge trying to find a way down into the valley.

As Marik trailed behind he noticed Bakura putting his hand to the temple of his forehead muttering to himself. Marik smirked to himself, "Ryou trying to make you talk?"

Bakura came to a stop. "Will you both please **Shut Up**." He suddenly doubled over clutching his head. Marik bent down in front of Bakura, his eyes searching. He watched as their face shifted back and forth between the two as both personalities struggled for control. Bakura lost. Ryou slumped forward holding himself up by his forearms, breathing heavily from the effort of wrestling control from Bakura.

"I'm n-ot go-ing to l-et…. you lea-ve like this," Ryou said quietly talking to Bakura, still clearly out of breath.

"You okay, Ryou?" Marik asked as he placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"I'm fine," Ryou said as his breathing leveled out. When he finally caught his breath Marik asked the one question he needed to know.

"Why?" Marik knew this was too simplistic a question but he didn't know how to get across everything he needed to know. Ryou looked Marik in the eyes.

Ryou stared back, his eyes searching. "He's the only survivor from Kul Elna when he was eight. The Pharaoh's men attacked the village trapping 99 souls to create the items….killing everyone else." Marik's jaw dropped. That was the last thing he had expected to hear. In ten seconds, he had learned more about Bakura than in the entire time he'd known him. Marik knew he'd been hiding a lot, but he hadn't expected something this...vile. Yet it still wasn't adding up.

"Wouldn't they be released after the Pharaoh passed on?" Marik wondered. Ryou was now sitting up straight, running his hand through his white hair considering how much to say. Bakura was already fuming and if he got angry enough he'd wrestle back control just to spite him.

"No," Ryou sighed, "They would be sealed in the shadows with Zorc if he is not defeated by the pharaoh first. "

"What happens to Bakura after Zorc losses?" Marik asked flatly. Ryou looked away confirming Marik's suspicions. "So, he's just going to go off to his death? Just like that"

"There is no other way," Ryou said, "What if it were your sibling's souls?" That made Marik pause looking down to the Jeep where Ishizu and Odion still sat frozen. He knew if it were them he would be willing to risk anything, and that was only for two souls. Bakura was giving himself up for 99 people he loved.

Marik groaned. This explained so much about Bakura's motivations. The stubbornness, the refusal bend to anyone's will. It however didn't explain why despite everything else he had fucked with Marik's feelings. Why in the hell had he allowed himself to get close if he was only going to leave anyway? Why had he risked himself in the shadow game? Wasn't that too great a risk for one person when 99 souls were in the balance?

Marik wiped the frustrated tears that began to form in his eyes as Ryou wrapped him up in his arms, whispering in his ear, "I'm sorry he couldn't tell you. He's terrible at goodbyes." Marik suddenly felt the arms holding him turn stiff. Ryou had turned control over to Bakura.

"Damn you, Ryou." Bakura muttered as he tried to pull away from Marik, but he had anticipated this. Marik grabbed at Bakura desperately at the same moment, causing both to lose balance. Marik who was now on top of Bakura placed his hands on the other boy's shoulders pinning him in place. "Marik let me go," Bakura said evenly. Marik shook his head feeling tears beginning to form in his eyes again. In a useless attempt to try and hide his tears he nuzzled his chin into the nape of Bakura's. "Marik?" Bakura said his name as if a question he didn't want to ask.

"Please," was all he was able to respond. After a moment's hesitation Bakura wrapped his arms around Marik, holding him tight. It wasn't fair, he thought, why did the pharaoh always have to take everything away from him?

"I'm sorry" Bakura said quietly in Marik's ear. Marik could not bring himself to say anything. Instead he pressed his lips against Bakura's kissing him. It was a kiss of desperate need, Marik trying to communicate what he couldn't put into words wants, needs, desires. For just this brief second there was no honor, no revenge, just stolen moment fully lived.

Bakura's breath hitched and he abruptly broke the kiss. He pulled himself from under Marik, the other boy laying down on the ground for a second to catch his breath before sitting up. There was a dull moment of silence before Marik broke it with a small whisper.

"I love you," it would be the only time he would have ever said this. Leaving that unsaid before their duel with his dark half had been his greatest regret. Bakura's shoulders tensed and he breathed out slowly. Finally, he gave Marik a sad smile, leaning forward and giving him a brief gentle kiss, wiping a stray tear away that fell down Marik's cheek. They sat forehead to forehead for a long moment. This was it, Marik thought. Bakura isn't going to ask to leave and I won't make him.

He grasped Bakura's hand and teleported them to the canyon. They didn't let go of each other hand as they walked to the entrance of the tomb. Nothing else was said between the two. What more could they say? Bakura was left without options and Marik wouldn't beg. Not when he knew the stakes. He released the pale hand from his grasp watching the head of white disappear into the darkness. No more words, no kisses, just a dull ache. Ryou was right. Bakura was REALLY bad at goodbye's.

Marik went back to the car that his siblings were still frozen. He took his place in the back seat and undid the spell. Marik pulled his knees up to his chest burying his face in his knees. He could feel Ishizu confused gaze on him Marik just gave a small shake of his head. Thankfully neither of his siblings commented on his sudden change in demeanor as they left to go meet up with Seto Kaiba.

AN: hope you enjoyed. Thank you to everyone who read this please let me know what you think.


End file.
